BROCKTON - At what was supposed to be a hearing in the case of his client, Carolyn Riley, defense attorney Michael Bourbeau instead found himself on the defensive for revealing too much to the media, according to the prosecutor in the case.

By Julie Jette

At what was supposed to be a hearing in the case of his client, Carolyn Riley, defense attorney Michael Bourbeau instead found himself on the defensive for revealing too much to the media, according to the prosecutor in the case.

Superior Court Judge John B. Connor Jr. indicated that he may seek to question members of the media in the matter.

Riley and her husband, Michael Riley, are accused of first-degree murder in the death of their four-year-old daughter in Hull in December. A medical examiner’s report said that the girl, Rebecca Riley, died of an overdose of clonidine, one of a number of drugs she was prescribed to treat a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder.

The unusual nature of the case has drawn attention from media outlets nationwide.

Plymouth County First Assistant District Attorney Frank Middleton told Plymouth Superior Court Judge John B. Connor at the hearing Wednesday that he had serious questions about Bourbeau’s professional conduct in the case because of what he viewed as leaks to the press.

After the couple was indicted by a grand jury, Plymouth County Superior Court Judge Carol Ball in March ordered both sides not to divulge grand jury testimony.

Stories about the motion ran in The Patriot Ledger and The Boston Globe on July 10.

Middleton said he initially assumed that reporters had requested the documents from the Plymouth County Superior Court clerk’s office. But he said officials there told him they had not received any requests for the motion before July 11.

“Clearly, (Bourbeau) filed the motion and then began faxing it to media outlets,” Middleton said. “Mr. Bourbeau clearly has the press outlets on speed dial.”

Middleton said that CBS news anchor Katie Couric conducted a three-hour jailhouse interview with Carolyn Riley, set up, he assumed, by Bourbeau.

CBS would not confirm whether Couric interviewed Riley.

Bourbeau then accused Middleton of releasing an inflammatory and misleading arrest affidavit after the Rileys were taken into custody, a document that was widely used in media reports to describe what allegedly happened to Rebecca Riley in the weeks and days before her death.

In the arrest affidavit, Rebecca Riley is described as likely having suffered severely before she died. It includes statements from other adults living in the house who said they begged the girl’s parents to seek medical attention for her because she seemed so sick.

Bourbeau also said that his motion to dismiss “responds to what was a very prejudicial presentation to the grand jury.”

“This is the first time in my career that press reports became part of the grand jury evidence,” Bourbeau said.

Among other allegations Bourbeau made in the motion to dismiss was the assertion that Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz’s office failed to show the grand jury a photograph of Rebecca Riley taken 36 hours before she died, in which she appears healthy and happy.

Connor ordered Bourbeau, Middleton and Michael Riley’s attorney, John Darrell, not to speak to the press about the case or to alert the media of filings made to the court.

“Because the allegations are serious and both of you have reputations of integrity both sides should have the opportunity to present evidence,” Connor told Bourbeau and Middleton.

“I need to know if I’m being charged with contempt,” Bourbeau replied.

Connor told him that he would let him know by 4 p.m. Wednesday how he would proceed. But Connor left court yesterday without leaving any instructions regarding Bourbeau, according to a court clerk.

If found in contempt of court Bourbeau could face jail time. He could not be reached for comment after the hearing.

Carolyn Riley appeared in court Wednesday wearing cornrows in her hair and a bandage on her right wrist.

Connor scheduled a hearing for a motion to dismiss the cases against both Rileys for Aug. 29.

Julie Jette of The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Mass.) may be reached at jjette@ledger.com.

City Services

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
Wicked Local West Roxbury ~ 254 Second Ave., Needham, Massachusetts 02494 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service